SACRAMENTO >> State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg Thursday removed state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, from the California Film Commission following a report by Al Jazeera America that Calderon solicited bribes from an undercover FBI agent posing as a film producers.

Steinberg sent the letter to the commission about 4:40 p.m., a source with knowledge of the email said.

“Given the circumstances as detailed in the (FBI) affidavit, it seemed appropriate that Sen. Calderon no longer served on the commission,” said Mark Hedlund, spokesman for Steinberg.

Al Jazeera America Wednesday released an affidavit to the U.S. District Court in Sacramento from the FBI seeking a search warrant. Calderon is accused of accepting a total of $60,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as film producers.

According to its website, the California Film Commission works to keep “film industry jobs and projects in the state.”

The commission has an advisory board of 21 members appointed by the governor, Senate pro tem and speaker of the Assembly. Calderon was one of those appointees.

As of Thursday evening, Calderon was still listed as a board member on the commission’s website.

Mario Beltran, spokesman for Calderon, stated the senator had no comment in an email response.

Also on Thursday, the FBI announced that the release of the affidavit has been referred to the “proper authorities” at the U.S. Department of Justice.

In an emailed statement, Laura Eimiller, spokesman for the FBI, stated that the agency is neither confirming or denying the legitimacy of the affidavit.

“As a matter of policy, it would be inappropriate to comment on pending investigations, or in the case of a sealed search warrant, to even comment on the nature of an investigation,” she stated.

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And on Thursday, Steinberg released a statement saying he’s shocked and disturbed about allegations made public about Calderon.

In a written statement Steinberg said, “Nothing is more sacred to us as Senators than the public’s trust in the integrity of this institution. That’s why it is so shocking and disturbing for us to read and hear the allegations presented in these media reports over the last 24 hours.”

The affidavit revealed that undercover FBI agents posing as film studio executives sought to get Calderon to introduce legislation that would lower the amount of money from $1 million to $750,000 that independent filmmakers have to spend on a movie’s budget in order to qualify for a California tax credit.

In return, the agent made $50,000 available as a sort of slush fund that paid for a $25,000 donation to Californians for Diversity, a nonprofit corporation in which Calderon’s brother, Tom is president, some concerts for Calderon and $5,000 toward Calderon’s son, Zachary’s college tuition at Berklee College of Music in Boston, according to the affidavit.

The agent hired Calderon’ daughter, paying her $3,000 a month for a total of $30,000, but she never had to show up for work. In return, Calderon arranged for the agent’s “girlfriend to be hired by the state Senate.

Steinberg stated that Calderon made a routine request for an additional clerical position in his district office due to redistricting and it was processed through normal channels.

“As always, I have no involvement in who is selected by Senators to fill these staff positions,” Steinberg stated. “As I’ve been informed, once it was discovered that person did not show up for work, Senate personnel acted swiftly to demand and receive full reimbursement.”

The woman received $684 but that amount was later reimbursed to the state, Hedlund said.

Hedlund said no one knew until Wednesday night that the person was an FBI agent.

Steinberg also stated that he nor the Senate Democratic Caucus supported Calderon’s film tax credit proposal.

“In fact, no such bill was heard in committee or reached the Senate floor,” he stated.

“Make no mistake: the assertions made in certain conversations described in this affidavit bear zero resemblance to reality and are a universe apart from how the Legislature that we know and honor every day conducts the people’s business,” he stated.